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How does one start a negotiation with it being awkward?

• patio11 12y ago
  In the context of a job offer? You might start with "I'm really excited about working here, assuming we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. What were you thinking in terms of salary?" hear answer "Interesting. Can you go higher on that?"
  • tptacek 12y ago
    You can also --- actually, should always --- say "Great, I think we're in the ballpark. I'll need a day or two to consider." The first number offered by an employer (for the benefit of the grandparent commenter) is --- practically always --- their floor. They expect some fraction of candidates to make a higher ask, and they can't predict which candidates those are, so there's a safety margin built into the first offer. Any number inside that margin is, for the purposes and incentives of the hiring manager, the same as the floor, so there is no reason ever to accept it. "We're in the ballpark" is a convenient way of saying "no" that sounds a whole lot like "yes". It comes in handy all over the place! "I'll need a day or two two consider" allows you to take the negotiation offline. If you're more comfortable, for instance, making a counteroffer via email than on the phone, "I'll need a day" accomplishes that for you (a good hiring manager is going to get you right back on the phone when you make that email counter, though). Since every piece of job hunting advice ever written suggests that candidates ask for a day to consider, every sane hiring manager (a) expects you to ask and (b) will happily concede.